A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that girls tend to drink more soft drinks as they get older and as a result increase their risk of being overweight.
In an American study that followed over 2000 girls for 10 years found that on average the consumption of soft drinks rose two to three times between the ages of 9 and 19. As the consumption of soft drinks rose, so did the girls daily calories and body mass index (BMI).
During the ten-year study period, while soft drink consumption increased, milk consumption decreased.
This latest study comes at a time when soft drink companies are starting to be held responsible for the obesity epidemic among children.
According to Statistics Canada, in 1978/79, 3% of children aged 2 to 17 were obese. By 2004, 8%, or an estimated 500,000 Canadian children, were obese. The adolescent obesity rates for those aged 12 to 17, tripled from 3% to 9% during this same time.
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